The highly anticipated season openers for St Lucia’s Julien Alfred and Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah yielded contrasting results as both athletes were left trailing behind American Sha’Carri Richardson in the women’s 100m at the Diamond League Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday.
Given the high caliber of the field, the event was expected to be a close contest. However, no real clash materialized as Richardson, the reigning World champion, opened her 100m campaign in impressive fashion, clocking a brisk 10.83 seconds.
Alfred, the World Indoor 60m champion, placed second in 10.93 seconds. She utilized her quick start to good effect and led for most of the race before being overtaken by Richardson. Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith (10.98secs), who was also opening her season in the event, placed third.
Meanwhile, Thompson-Herah, the double Olympic champion, struggled to regain her outstanding form of past seasons. Despite a strong start from lane four, she quickly faded to the back of the field, finishing in 11.30secs.
Coleman secured victory with a season’s best 9.95secs
In the men’s 100m, American Christian Coleman secured victory with a season’s best 9.95secs. Runner-up Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya also clocked a season’s best with 9.98secs, while another American, Brandon Hicklin, finished third in 10.08secs. Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake (10.12secs) and Sandrey Davison, with a personal best of 10.13secs, placed fourth and fifth, respectively. British Virgin Islands’ Rikkoi Brathwaite (10.19secs) finished sixth.
In the field events, Cuba’s World Indoor silver medallist Leyanis Perez Hernandez topped the women’s triple jump with a first effort of 14.73m. Dominica’s World Indoor champion and current world number one Thea Lafond (14.62m) and Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts, with a season’s best 14.55m, took the runners-up positions. Another Jamaican, Kimberly Williams (13.74m), placed seventh.
On the track, the men’s 200m was won by current world leader Kenny Bednarek, who continued his rich early season form to lead an American sweep. Bednarek won in 19.89secs, ahead of Courtney Lindsey (20.09secs) and Kyree King (20.15secs). Caribbean athletes Alexander Ogando (20.27secs) of the Dominican Republic and Ian Kerr (20.87secs) of the Bahamas finished fifth and ninth, respectively.
Grant Holloway continued his good form with another world-leading performance of 13.03secs to win the men’s 110m hurdles, which was also swept by the Americans. Daniel Roberts (13.13secs) and Freddie Crittenden (13.16secs) were second and third. Jamaica’s Olympic champion Hansle Parchment (13.28secs) recovered from a horrible start to finish fourth.
Battled bravely but faded into fourth place
The women’s 100m hurdles was won by Frenchwoman Cyrena Samba-Mayela, who equaled her National Record of 12.52secs. Her training partner Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (12.54secs) of Puerto Rico and American Tonea Marshall (12.55secs) rounded out the top three. Bahamian World Indoor champion Devynne Charlton (12.63secs) and Jamaica’s World champion Danielle Williams (12.65secs) placed fourth and sixth, respectively.
In the men’s 400m hurdles, Jamaica’s World Championship finalist Roshawn Clarke battled bravely but faded into fourth place, finishing in 49.07secs. Compatriots Malik James-King (49.51secs) and Jaheel Hyde (49.83secs) placed fifth and seventh, respectively. The event was won by a fast-finishing Costa Rican Gerald Drummond (48.56secs), with Estonia’s Rasmus Magi (48.85secs) and American CJ Allen (48.99secs) taking second and third.
Meanwhile, Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson timed her run to perfection, clocking a new world-leading 1:55.78 minutes to win the women’s 800m. Kenya’s Mary Moraa recorded a season’s best of 1:56.71 minutes to finish second, while Jemma Reekie, also with a season’s best of 1:57.45 minutes, placed third. Jamaica’s Natoya Goule-Toppin finished ninth in 1:59.92 minutes.
